Fruits, Veggies And Gas

About The Buzz: Do Fruits, Vegetable, And Beans Cause Gas?

Some people experience uncomfortable bloating after eating beans, fruit or vegetables.

WHAT WE KNOW

Gas, or flatulence, can be caused by what you eat or drink. For example, some people are lactose intolerant and experience gas and other symptoms if they eat or drink dairy products. Adding more fiber to your diet from fruit, vegetables, beans, or whole grains can cause temporary gas that may decrease over time as your body adjusts.

HOW DO WE KNOW THIS?

Gas forms when bacteria in your colon ferment carbohydrates like fiber that aren’t digested in your small intestine. The best sources of fiber come from fruit, vegetables, beans, and whole grains and are often the cause of gas formation. Fiber has many health benefits, including keeping your digestive tract in good working order. Fiber can also help regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Gas can also be caused by antibiotics, irritable bowel syndrome, changes in hormone levels, or swallowing air while eating or drinking. Constipation can cause bloating, but usually not gas.

OUR ADVICE

It’s important to eat fruits and vegetables because of the fiber as well as the many other important nutrients and beneficial compounds that we don’t yet fully understand. Most people experience a decline in gas after regularly consuming fiber-rich foods because the bacteria in the colon adjusts to the higher fiber diet; however, this may take as long as 2-4 weeks.

6 Ways to Prevent Gas

Eat more slowly

Chew food thoroughly

Walk for 10-15 minutes after eating

Do not chew gum

Do not drink carbonated beverages

Avoid artificial sweeteners, such as sorbitol and mannitol, found in some sugar-free foods, gums and candies.

Be sure to call your doctor or nurse if you have gas and other symptoms like stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bloody stools, fever, chest pains, or if the pain remains constant or intense.